The word tarantula endured, however, and later came to be applied to other large, hairy spiders in Theraphosidae. The dancing itself, which has been variously described as a symptom or treatment for the spider's bite, helped give rise to the famous Italian dance known as the tarantella. One of the most distinctive traits of many tarantulas is the presence of bristly hairs on their bodies, including their legs.
Although this looks like hair and is commonly described as such, spiders and other arthropods do not have true hair like mammals do. Mammalian hair is mainly made of keratin, while arthropod setae consists largely of chitin. Many tarantula species have a special kind of setae, known as urticating hairs, that serve as a defensive weapon.
Not only can these bristles rub off on a predator when it makes contact with a tarantula, but the spider can also actively flick them at troublemakers with its legs. The bristles are barbed and can become lodged in the eyes and mucus membranes of the recipient, causing irritation and pain. Some urticating hairs are more effective against invertebrates, for example, while others are mainly deployed against vertebrate predators. Tarantulas are widely typecast as dangerous, a perception often reinforced by movies and TV.
Yet while their large bodies and fangs can make them seem monstrous, and they do possess venom, most tarantulas are not dangerous to humans in real life, especially New World species. Like most spiders, tarantulas rarely bite humans, and will almost always flee if they have the option. A typical bite from a tarantula is comparable to a bee sting, with only local and temporary pain and swelling. No North American tarantulas are thought to pose even a mild danger to humans, nor are any of the species commonly kept as pets.
Some African and Asian tarantula bites have been reported to cause moderate illness, but there have been no reported human deaths due to toxicity from a tarantula bite. While the venom itself may not be dangerous to humans, however, it can trigger allergic reactions in some people. Tarantulas are ambush predators, pouncing on prey rather than trying to snare it in a web. They do produce silk, although it's mainly used to line their burrows or for specialty purposes during mating and molting.
Tarantulas typically eat insects and other small invertebrates, but their diets vary depending on the species' size and habitat. Some larger tarantulas are known to prey on small vertebrates like frogs, lizards, and even rodents. A South American tarantula known as the goliath birdeater is widely considered the most massive spider alive today, growing up to 11 inches 28 centimeters in diameter.
Despite its common name, however, it only rarely preys on birds, instead feeding mostly on earthworms, insects, and other invertebrates. Tarantulas may seem intimidating, but these hulking spiders are still commonly eaten by an array of animals.
Many generalist predators are known to prey on tarantulas, including snakes, lizards, frogs, and birds, as well as mammals such as coati, opossums, mongooses, foxes, and coyotes. Tarantulas are also the primary target of some specialist predators, namely a group of spider-hunting parasitoid wasps known as "tarantula hawks. And remember, a tarantula would rather hide from you than bite you.
Willing to die for love: Once mature, a male tarantula abandons his burrow to seek a female by following the scent she leaves. The pair performs a courtship dance and then, if the male is deemed suitable, they mate. Males of many tarantulas have spurs on their first pair of legs to hold back the fangs of their chosen partner while they mate—just in case!
Lucky males usually die a few months after mating, but females may live and produce eggs for 25 years or more. The female makes a silk cocoon in her home for her eggs. Once the eggs are laid from 75 to 1,! They go off on their own when they are two to three weeks old. All tarantulas have a hard exoskeleton that they must shed during each growth spurt.
When the time comes, the tarantula lays down a silken mat with its spinnerets and flips over onto its back. The old exoskeleton opens on the back, and the tarantula must push it off by expanding and contracting its body. When the process is complete, and the spider has allowed some time for the new exoskeleton to harden, it flips back over.
At first glance, the shed often looks like another spider! Young tarantulas molt several times over the first few years as they get bigger. The Zoo is a refuge for a large group of tarantulas confiscated by the U.
Fish and Wildlife Service from an illegal smuggling sting. Although spiders are fearsome predators, others often eat them. Tarantulas have many natural enemies, including lizards, snakes, spider-eating birds, and even wasps. If suitable soil is not available an occasional individual may hide in cracks or logs. The Tarantula Hawk, a large spider wasp, searches out tarantulas and attempts to sting them. If successful, the sting paralyzes the spider. The wasp will then lay an egg on it, and seals it up in a burrow.
The paralyzed spider provides "fresh meat" for the wasp grub to eat after it hatches from the egg. Most spiders have no teeth with which to chew their food, so they rely on their venom to liquefy their prey. They then use their sucking stomachs to draw in or 'suck" up the meal.
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